Uma Devi, the divine consort of Lord Shiva, once became inattentive and negligent in her devotion to her husband. Angered by her lack of reverence, Lord Shiva cursed Uma Devi to be reborn on Earth in the form of a cow. Stricken with deep remorse, Uma Devi pleaded for a way to reverse the curse. Shiva, assured her that he would manifest himself at the appropriate time to wed her once again and restore her to her rightful divine status. Goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Indrani too joined Uma Devi in assuming the form of cows, roaming the terrestrial realm and grazing together in solidarity. Lord Vishnu, in a display of his cosmic role as the preserver, took on the responsibility of serving as their herdsman, watching over and tending to them. Lord Shiva was cooled and placated by the act of Uma Devi, in her cow form, pouring her milk over the Linga, and He granted Uma Devi redemption, restoring her to her original divine form.
Goddess Umadevi, having attained her divine form, undertook fasting and worshipping a Shiva Linga made of sand for 16 consecutive Mondays. On the 17th Monday, Shiva himself manifested before Umadevi and married her. All the essential pre-wedding rituals such as Kankana Dharanam (tying of the sacred thread) and other ceremonies involving the performance of a yagna or Vedic fire rituals, happenned at Tiruvelikudi. The Purana further elaborates that none other than Brahma, the creator of the universe, presided over these sacred rituals and the place came to be known as Tiruvelvikudi, which etymologically translates to "the sacred site where the yagna or 'Velvi' was conducted.
According to the Sthala Purana, a prince was once betrothed to be married, but before the wedding ceremony could take place, tragedy struck as the bride's parents suddenly passed away. This resulted in the bride's relatives deciding to halt the wedding proceedings. The prince, eager to proceed with the marriage, pleaded with the bride's family to allow the wedding to continue as planned, but the relatives remained resolute in their decision. Distraught, the prince journeyed to the temple site and fervently prayed to the presiding deity. The Sthala Purana indicates that Lord Shiva, moved by the prince's sincere devotion and heartfelt plea, dispatched a goblin to retrieve the bride and bring her to the temple, where Shiva himself oversaw and presided over the wedding ceremony, uniting the prince and his beloved in holy matrimony against all odds and obstacles.
The temple complex features an impressive and ornate three-tiered Rajagopuram, or main gateway tower, which serves as the grand entrance. Within the temple walls, there are two prakarams, or concentric enclosures, which devotees circumambulate in a clockwise direction as part of worship.
The Artha Mandap and Maha Mandap are located in front of the main sanctum. The Artha Mandap serves as an antechamber or transitional space before entering the inner sanctum, while the Maha Mandap is a larger pillared hall used for congregational worship. There are several goshta murthas, including Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbhavar, Artha Nareeshwarar, and ChandraShekarar. In the idol Artha Nareeshwarar, we can see the form of Shiva and Parvathy.
The Artha Mandap of this shiva temple houses idols of Vinayaka, and Nataraja. The main presiding deity of the temple is venerated as Kalyana Sundareshwarar, while his divine female consort is worshipped as Parimala Sugandha Nayaki. Interestingly, this sacred site holds great significance as it is believed to be the very place where the illustrious Sage Agasthya was absolved of a curse he had incurred after vanquishing Vathapi. In recognition of this momentous event, a separate sannidhi dedicated to Sage Agasthya can be found within the artha mandap itself. The sannidhi of the consort deity, Parimala Sugandha Nayaki, is situated in the first parakaram, facing the southern direction. Testifying to the temple's rich and extensive history, there are ancient stone inscriptions within the complex that date back to the reigns of several notable figures from the Chola dynasty, including Sembian Madevi, Raja Raja Chola, and Parakrama Chola, offering invaluable insights into the temple's past and its enduring significance over the centuries.
'Kauthuka Bandhana theertham', the sacred water body is situated opposite the gateway of the temple. This temple is a significant destination for individuals who face obstacles or delays in getting married. People come here and bathe in the 'Kauthuka Bandhana theertham', and sincerely worship the deity, to remove any impediments hindering their path to wedlock.
The marriage of Shiva and Parvati itself was held at Tirumanancheri after the pre-wedding rituals that were conducted here at Tiruvelikudi.
Entrance
Colorful Sculptures
Outer Prakaram
Four Primary Nayanmars
Valanchuzhi Vinayaka
Idol depicting the Wedding
Dakshinamurthy
Kalyana Sundarar as Groom
Kalyana Sundarar